PortableKitten
April 14th, 2005, 05:07 PM
WTF!!!!
Thu, Apr 14, 2005
ROCCO LaDUCA
Observer-Dispatch
STEPHANIE
DEERFIELD -- Oneida County sheriff's deputies are investigating the death of a cat reportedly stolen Tuesday afternoon from the Stevens-Swan Humane Society in Deerfield.
Staff at the animal adoption center said a man entered the Horatio Street location at about 4 p.m. Tuesday expressing interest in looking at their cats, Executive Director Becky Warner said Wednesday. Once the man had been left alone in the cat adoption room, he removed a 1-year-old calico cat named Stephanie from its cage, according to surveillance video.
With the cat stuffed under his jacket, the man then left the humane society and drove off, Warner said.
About three hours after sheriff's deputies were provided with the suspect's license plate number, the cat was retrieved and returned to the humane society, Warner said. The cat died moments later, she said.
"We view ourselves as a safe haven where animals come to avoid cruel acts until they find a home," Warner said. "But the thought (of) something like this -- where a man willfully takes a cat and physically abuses it and kills it -- is beyond comprehension."
Although nobody had been charged as of Wednesday afternoon, the sheriff's office said possible charges are pending further investigation.
A post-mortem examination of the cat will be performed at Cornell University to determine the extent of the cat's injuries, Warner said. The cat appeared to have been beaten -- with bloody eyes, lacerations on her leg and nails ripped from her paw, she said.
If someone is charged, Warner said she hopes felony aggravated animal cruelty charges -- under the state statute known as Buster's Law -- would be pursued.
"It's been proven time and time again that people who go on to commit murder or hurt humans have abused animals in the past," Warner said, adding that it is important to recognize this link and prevent such actions from escalating into further harm.
Nothing like this had ever happened at the humane society in the past, Warner said. But since Stephanie was removed from an unlocked cage, Warner said the staff is considering whether all animal cages need to be locked. This, however, would pose a risk to the animals if they ever need to quickly be removed in an emergency, she admitted.
The humane society -- which on any day holds between 80 and 100 animals -- is also looking into recruiting volunteers to escort people in the animal adoption rooms, Warner said.
BUSTER'S LAW
A person is guilty of felony aggravated cruelty to animals when they intentionally kill or cause serious physical injury to a companion animal when such an act is done in an especially depraved or sadistic manner or with the intention of causing extreme physical pain. The charge carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison.
Thu, Apr 14, 2005
ROCCO LaDUCA
Observer-Dispatch
STEPHANIE
DEERFIELD -- Oneida County sheriff's deputies are investigating the death of a cat reportedly stolen Tuesday afternoon from the Stevens-Swan Humane Society in Deerfield.
Staff at the animal adoption center said a man entered the Horatio Street location at about 4 p.m. Tuesday expressing interest in looking at their cats, Executive Director Becky Warner said Wednesday. Once the man had been left alone in the cat adoption room, he removed a 1-year-old calico cat named Stephanie from its cage, according to surveillance video.
With the cat stuffed under his jacket, the man then left the humane society and drove off, Warner said.
About three hours after sheriff's deputies were provided with the suspect's license plate number, the cat was retrieved and returned to the humane society, Warner said. The cat died moments later, she said.
"We view ourselves as a safe haven where animals come to avoid cruel acts until they find a home," Warner said. "But the thought (of) something like this -- where a man willfully takes a cat and physically abuses it and kills it -- is beyond comprehension."
Although nobody had been charged as of Wednesday afternoon, the sheriff's office said possible charges are pending further investigation.
A post-mortem examination of the cat will be performed at Cornell University to determine the extent of the cat's injuries, Warner said. The cat appeared to have been beaten -- with bloody eyes, lacerations on her leg and nails ripped from her paw, she said.
If someone is charged, Warner said she hopes felony aggravated animal cruelty charges -- under the state statute known as Buster's Law -- would be pursued.
"It's been proven time and time again that people who go on to commit murder or hurt humans have abused animals in the past," Warner said, adding that it is important to recognize this link and prevent such actions from escalating into further harm.
Nothing like this had ever happened at the humane society in the past, Warner said. But since Stephanie was removed from an unlocked cage, Warner said the staff is considering whether all animal cages need to be locked. This, however, would pose a risk to the animals if they ever need to quickly be removed in an emergency, she admitted.
The humane society -- which on any day holds between 80 and 100 animals -- is also looking into recruiting volunteers to escort people in the animal adoption rooms, Warner said.
BUSTER'S LAW
A person is guilty of felony aggravated cruelty to animals when they intentionally kill or cause serious physical injury to a companion animal when such an act is done in an especially depraved or sadistic manner or with the intention of causing extreme physical pain. The charge carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison.